Kosher saltas needed for seasoning the water, plus more to taste
Fresh ground black pepperto taste
¼lbnettlesblanched in salted water and shocked in an ice bath to preserve their color, then chopped roughly
Unsalted butterto taste, a tablespoon for sauteing shallots, and more if desired
¼cupshallotdiced ¼ in
Meat stockto moisten the pan, (optional)
Instructions
Cook each of the grains individually in salted water until tender. Wheat berries will take the longest, along with wild rice if you are using cultivated (as opposed to wood parched), followed by the barley. When each grain is cooked, drain it, rinse to remove the starch, then cool, and reserve until needed. To reheat and serve the grains, melt a tablespoon of butter in a deep sauce pot, a 4 qt size will do.
Add the shallots to the butter and cook, seasoning with salt and pepper lightly, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the grains and chopped, blanched nettles, and stir to combine. If the pan gets dry, add a little meat stock, (a knob of butter never hurt anyone either). Double check the seasoning for salt and pepper, then serve immediately. The pilaf can be made in advance and held warm for extended periods of time, it's very forgiving.
Notes
You could use any combination of grains you like, this is just what I had laying around